A needs assessment is a tool to determine what needs to be addressed and changed from the original to the desired version of a piece of content. In this specific case, the following press release for proposed fee changes at Northern Arizona University (NAU) is the subject that will undergo the assessment. I will use this content, evaluate its strengths and where it needs improvements, and provide an improved piece of content.
The Positives of the Press Release
The NAU logo and name are displayed at the top, allowing us to recognize where this content is coming from quickly. Understanding that it comes from a university provides credibility to the information at hand. The colors within the press release match the logo’s brand colors and stand out amongst the rest of the text. The background is plain white, allowing the text to be easily read.
The Negatives of the Press Release
While the text’s color is helpful, its size is not. The bolded headings allow us to understand where the information is broken up. Still, the size of the heading and the body paragraph are so close to one another that they aren’t immediately recognizable. The heading could also benefit from more active space, so it isn’t right on top of the body paragraphs. Additionally, while this content clearly demonstrates the affected degrees and colleges, it would be ideal to include somewhere where a more in-depth explanation could be found.
Suggested Changes
To bring this content to its most optimized version, I recommend the following changes:
- More active space between headings and body paragraphs.
- Clear differentiation in font size between the heading and body paragraphs.
- Clarify the time zone in which the hearing will take place.
- Add a lower tier of subheadings to explain the hearing participation information better.
- Slight word changes for clarification.
Revised Copy
NAU announces proposed fee changes for academic year 2024-25
To maintain high academic quality and enable necessary programmatic investments, Northern Arizona University is proposing fee changes for AY2024-45 in accordance with the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) tuition and fee setting policy.
In alignment with NAU’s elevation of the School of Nursing to a standalone College of Nursing and subsequent review of all college fees, NAU’s proposal includes establishing the initial college for the newly formed College of Nursing and increasing the undergraduate fee level tier for the College of the Environment, Forestry, and Natural Sciences.
NAU’s proposal also includes increases to three existing graduate nursing program fees and an increase for the business analytics master’s program, which began in Fall 2023 without program fees.
ABOR public hearing
Arizona Board of Regents is hosting a virtual public tuition hearing from 4-5 p.m. MST. Tuesday, April 9, to allow members of the public to comment on the fee schedule for the academic year 2024-25. For more information, call (602) 229-2500.
How to participate in the live stream
For more information on how to participate in the live stream, visit www.azregents.edu and follow the appropriate steps.
How to watch the live stream without commenting
To watch the live stream without commenting on the proposals, go to ABORLive.
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